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Mailbag: Council critics aren’t majority

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With regard to the question, “Does the current City Council ignore residents’ concerns?” (“Boardman is in, DeLong is out,” Aug. 12):

Whenever a land use issue comes to the council for consideration, those in opposition to it will always be more motivated to make the trek to City Hall, put on a badge signifying their cause and spew forth their “don’t build anything anywhere” mantra. They will always be greater in number than those speakers, if any, who support a project. It’s the same old people with the same tired objections.

When a project is approved after numerous residents have spoken out against it, it is usually charged that council ignores the residents. Actually, council appears to be aware that only the residents who are opposed have been heard. Just because 30 speakers show up at City Hall, that does not indicate that they represent a majority of residents.

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Indeed, when tested at the polls, as with Walmart and the senior center, it is clear that they do not.

If council were swept away listening to the clamor of the anti-everythings singing out at the podium during City Council meetings, there would be no Walmart, no Hyatt, no Hilton, no Ruby’s or Duke’s. Forget Home Depot, Lowe’s, the Sports Complex and Bella Terra.

Council is doing just fine separating the views of a few from the views of the majority.

Bill Borden

Huntington Beach

Surf City is developers’ haven

Re: “Does the current City Council ignore residents’ concerns?” (“Boardman is in, DeLong is out,” Aug. 12):

The current Huntington Beach City Council majority does indeed ignore residents’ concerns. It is one of the reasons so many City Council candidates are running to restore the “voice of the people” to our local government. The current council majority has pointedly ignored the wishes and interests of the community by supporting massive development projects that primarily benefit outside special interests. This is true in southeast Huntington Beach with the Poseidon desalination plant, in the north with the Beach and Edinger Corridors mixed-use developments, in downtown with the Downtown Specific Plan to commercially pave over Triangle Park, in the Bolsa Chica area with the Ridge housing development, and throughout the city in general. Citizens’ concerns over the environment, parking, traffic and other degradations to residential quality of life are at an all-time high. It is high time that voters elect a brand new council majority (four seats).

Tim Geddes

Huntington Beach

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Lifeguards deserved coverage, too

The United States Lifesaving Assn.’s National Lifeguard Championships, which took place in Huntington Beach from Aug. 5 to 7, went virtually unnoticed by the press and community. The three-day event, which alternates from the East to West Coast each summer, attracted 1,000 guards from around the country who competed in ocean and beach competitions on the sand at Beach Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway. While the guards enjoyed the intense competition and challenging water conditions (strong currents and chilly ocean), I was surprised to see the lack of coverage in the Independent.

Editors state the lifeguards were simply overshadowed by the U.S. Open of Surfing competition. This should not be the case for this event or others that happen to run simultaneously with the surf contest. Deciding to report on only the top events is not only a disservice to your readers, but to the other event organizers and participants. Recognition of local happenings not only spreads the word to the public and attracts spectators, but shows these groups that our city wants them to return. Huntington Beach has worked hard to bring in events that are in line with the Surf City image – let’s try to support these events by providing press and having groups return and provide support for our city by spending in local establishments.

Nan Kappeler

Huntington Beach

Editor’s Note: Nan Kappeler is the founder of T MAT Pro, a Huntington Beach company that sells mats for use in athletics.

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Boardman deserves another term

I couldn’t be happier to hear that Connie Boardman is in the race (“Boardman is in, DeLong is out,” Aug. 12). She is a champion for everything good about our city, and her comments regarding the conduct of our current City Council are right on the money. I will definitely vote for her and will look forward to the time when she is once again our mayor. Everyone who loves Huntington Beach should vote for her.

Marcia S. Willis

Huntington Beach

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